Search form

Talking about stammering at Manchester

I was going to write this blog on the train on the way home from BSA Manchester 2016. But I fell asleep. Surely the sign of a great weekend…

Today, refreshed, I can reflect on the huge achievement of Max Gattie and Jen Roche together with their team at the Manchester Stammering Support Group. Not only was the conference run in a highly professional way, but it also brought together an extraordinary collection of people, both speakers and attendees. I say extraordinary because I have rarely been with a group with such a universal desire to help and inspire other people who stammer. Comments on Facebook endorse that.

I had the privilege of introducing Ed Balls during which I took the opportunity to tell the Conference about the new BSA strapline, Talking About Stammering. You can see it under the BSA logo on the web pages. You’re going to hear a lot about this strapline in the years to come because the Trustees feel that talking about stammering is the cornerstone of our ambition to improve the lives of people who stammer.

And, indeed, improvement was the theme of the conference.

But what does improvement mean in the context of stammering?

Well, the word improvement has connotations of development and growth, probably over a period of time - a progression. Some people use the word journey to describe the progression. I like the word voyage because it makes it sound more of an adventure. It’s a voyage of self-discovery, yes, but it’s also a discovery of the help that’s available.

Improvement suggests a movement from one state to a state considered to be better – a change for the better over time.

And that’s why the theme of the conference, improvement, was so exciting. There’s so much within ourselves. Our theme said you don’t have to accept how things are now. There’s hope. You don’t have to remain locked away in a dungeon of dysfluency or disaffection. You don’t have to look back in later years and regret the missed opportunities.

And, of course, one other great thing about improvement is its inclusiveness. Anyone can do it! It’s inclusive, and it’s possible. Because we can all improve.

The point of the conference was not to come away fluent. But it was to come away feeling inspired to improve. To develop a greater belief in ourselves. To reinforce our unwillingness to be shackled by our stammer. To build our confidence.

Of course, we talk about self-improvement. But what about society? Do we not also have to move society forward to a state of better understanding of what stammering is, and of how to relate to people who stammer? And the conference addressed that, too.

The first step to improvement is talking. Talking about stammering. And that’s where our new strapline comes in. Quite ironic, isn’t it? Talking, I mean, when many of us are used to zipping it. Finding excuses not to talk.

But talking about stammering is something we must do more of. The BSA already talks about stammering. We must do more. We should encourage people who stammer to talk about their stammer. We should encourage people who stammer to talk regardless – not to hide away and be ashamed of their stammer. We should talk about stammering more in schools. We should talk about stammering even more on social media. We should talk more to our employers about stammering. We should talk more to our employees about stammering. We must insist society talks openly about stammering because only by talking about stammering are we going to mitigate, and eventually remove, the stigma around it.

So the BSA is committed to talk about stammering because that is how we will improve the lives of people who stammer.

There will be an unmissable opportunity to talk about stammering in the lead-up to International Stammering Awareness Day on 22nd October. The BSA needs your input because the more people who are prepared to talk about stammering, the better. We need people to talk to their regional radio and television stations. We need people to talk to their local newspapers. We need people to talk to anyone who will listen. You will soon be able to download an information pack from the BSA website to help you talk about stammering whenever the opportunity arises.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who made BSA Manchester 2016 such a success!